Power mechanism for pressing machines



May 22, 1928.

' E. DAVIS POWER MECHANISM FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed June 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T'TORNEY5 May 22, 1928. 1,670,763

E. DAVIS POWER MECHANISM FOR PRESSING MACHINES Filed Jpne 10. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 1n INVENTOR. W WW ATTORNEYS Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST DAVIS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSI [GNO R TO THE PROSPERITY COMPANY I INCL, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YOB I POWER MECHANISM FOR PRESSING MACHINES.

Application filed June 10, 1826. Serial No. 115,144.

This invention relates to pressing machines, particularly power operated garment and laundry pressingmachines of the platen type, that is the type in which one of the platen pressing elements is a head movable toward and from the other laten pressing element, and it has for its ol ijecta particularly eflicient power actuating mechanism including a motor as a cylinder and a piston movable in the cylinder, which actuating mechanism includes connections which per- -mit the piston or other actuator to remain idle in-so far as the reciprocating movement is concerned during a preliminary manual closing of the press so that the entire stroke of the piston is utilized to apply final pressure.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of a pressing machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view partly in section of the cylinder and manual control therefor.

The pressing machine here illustrated is of the conventional type including a stationary buckl mounted on a suitable frame 2, a head 3 movable toward and from the buck carried at the front end of. a yoke or lever 4 pivoted at 5 between its ends to a standard 6 rising from the frame, the rear arm of the lever being usually acted upon by a counterweight 7 and a counter-spring 8. The head 3 or the yoke lever4 is also provided with a handle 9 by means of which the head is preliminarily closed or pulled by the operator down onto the work on the lower buck. In so far as this invention is concerned, any other means may be used by the operator to preliminarily close the press.

The motor including the reciprocat ng actuator is here shown as a cylinder 10, and the piston 11 movable in the cylinder, the piston having the usual piston rod 12. The connections between the actuator or piston rod 12 and the press head 3, in addition to the yoke or lever 4 comprises a toggle link 13 pivoted at 14 to the rear arm of the oke lever 4 and at 15 to the upper end 0 the second toggle link 16 which is pivoted at 17 to the frame, and a pull link 18 connected to the toggle and to the piston rod 12 at 19.

As the toggle, composed of the links 13 and 16, moves toward straightened position during the preliminary closing of the press, the link 18 moves forwardly or at a right angle to the reciprocating movement of the p1st0n rod 12 and hence, the piston rod 12 has no endwise movement. The cylinder 10 is pivoted at 20 at its upper end to the frame on an axis at a right angle to the movement of the piston rod so that the cylinder and piston rod oscillate 6r shift ina direction at an angle to the reciprocating movement of the p1st0n rod during the preliminary closing of the press. The actuation of the piston in the cylinder or the inlet and ex-' haust of a motive fluid to the cylinder or the upper end thereof, as the piston is single acting, is controlled by suitable valves located in the valve casing 21, these valves being manually operable. The inlet and exhaust ofthe motive fluid, as air, takes place through the pipes 22 and 23. Air enters the upper end of the cylinder under the control o the operator to cause the piston to travel on its down or out stroke and air is exhausted from the cylinder through the pipe 23 by a valve under the control of the operator. The valves will be hereinafter described.

Means is provided for preventing the effective actuation of the piston or the application of pressure in the event the machine is not preliminarily closed. ThlS means is here shown as a guide or a cam slot 25 having a portion 26 extending in the direction of the oscillating or shifting movement ofthe lower end of the piston rod 12, and an upright portion in the direction of the reciprocating movement of the p1st0n, the latter portion being inclined downwardly and forwardly to act as a cam. The pull link is formed with a' follower 27 movable in the cam 25. The pull link 18 is formed double and the cam 25 located between the opposite sides of the pull link and the fol- Flower connects the opposite sides of the double pull link. Obviously if air is let into the cylinder while the head 3 is up, the piston cannot travel as the follower 27 is at the end of the portion of the cam slot. If the head is but art way preliminarily closed and hence t e follower away from the rear end of the cam slot 26 then upon the letting of air into the cylinder the piston Will travelbut the follower will move toward the rear end of the slot 26 and hence the head will return to its fully open position. The portion 26 of the cam slot is inclined slightly downwardly out of the horizontal toward its rear end. This facilitates such opening action of the head.

In operation the operator first takes hold of the handle 9 with one hand and preliminarily closes the press and holds it closed and then operates the intake valve in the casing 21 topermit the air to flow to the cylinder 10. During the preliminary closing, the follower 27 moves along the horizontal portion 26 of the ca1n 25 until it \enters the upper end of the upright portion of the cam slot 25, it entering such upright portion when the press is preliminarily closed. At this point, the operator opens the intake valve to the cylinder so that the piston will be actuated on its power stroke, the follower passing downwardly along the upright portion of the slot 25. .As this portion is a cam portion it being inclined downwardly and forwardly, the toggle consisting of the links 13 and 16 is moved more nearly into a straight line thus applying heavy pressure.

It will be understood that during the preliminary closing of the press, the toggle is moved toward but not into a straight line.

The valve casing 21.is \provided with means which automatically holds the intake valve open and hence holds the press under pressure, this means being a diaphragm located in the diaphragm chamber 30. The diaphragm in the chamber is collapsible by manual means to release the pressure in the cylinder and permit the machine to open under the influence of the counter-weight and springs. The manual means for controlling the operationof the press forms no part of this invention.

The valve for controlling the flow of motive fluid or air to the cylinder as here illustrated comprises a normally closed intake valve 31 in the casing 21, a nor mally open exhaust valve 32 in said .casing and connected by a stem 33 to the intake valve 31 so as to act as a unit therein, anda handle or lever 34 pivoted at 35 and having an arm .36 coacting with a .plunger or stem 37 on'the valve 32, which plunger extends out'of one end of the casing21. 38 is the feed pipeconnected to the casing 21. The combined intake and exhaust valve areheld-in and returned to their normal position with the intake 31 closed and the exhaust 32 open by a spring 39. 40 is a diaphragm in the chamber 30, the diaphragm acting on a plunger 41, which coaets with a third arm 42 of the handle lever 34. Ohviously movement of the handle 34 into the position shown in Figure 2, opens the intake valve 31 and closes the exhaust valve 32 permitting air to enter the cylinder and act on the piston when the piston uncovers a port 23 or communicating with the pipe 23 and permits air to enter the diaphragm chamber 30 and actuate the diaphragm to its position shown in Figure 2 and thus hold the handle lever 34 in its operated position. To open the press the operator moves the handle 34 back to its dotted line position against the pressure of the diaphragm, thus permitting the exhaust valve 32 to open and the intake 31 to close. When the exhaust valve opens air exhausts from the cylinder and hence permits the press to open. The control mechanism forms no part of the invention but forms the subject matter of my Patent 1,609,273, granted to me November 30, 1927.

By my invention the full stroke of the piston is 'used to apply final pressure and no part of the stroke is lost during thepreliminary closing movement of the press. Furthermore, the power cannot be effectively applied until after the press has been preliminarily closed as, although the power or air can be applied to the piston, it is ineffective on the head.

What I claim is 1. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable manually from open toward closed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element in the same direction as the preliminary closing movement including a reciprocating actuator shiftable laterally relatively to its reciprocating movement and motion transmitting connections between the actuator and the movable element, said connections comprising means connected to the actuator to shift it laterally during the preliminary closing of the movable element and means for holding the reciprocating actuator from reciprocating movement until said actuator has been shifted laterally by said connections.

2. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable manually from open toward closed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element in the same direction as the preliminary closing movement including a reciprocating actuator and motion transmitting connections between the actuator and the movable element, and means normally preventing reciprocating movement of the actuator by the'power means during the preliminary closing movement.

3. A pressing machine comprising cooperating ressing elements, one of which is movab e toward and from the other, the

movable element being pi'eliminarily movable manually from open toward closed position, power means for applyingpressure to the movable element in the. same direction as the preliminary closing movement including a reciprocating actuator and motion transmitting connections between the actuator and the movable element, and means normally preventing reciprocating move ment of the actuator by the power means durin g the preliminary a closing. movement, said connections operating toshift the actuator out of movement preventing position with respect to said preventing means during the preliminary closing of the press.

4. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements one of which is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable manually from open. towardclosed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element after the same is preliminarily closed, including a reciprocating actuator mounted to shift. in a direction at an angle to its reciprocating movement, connections between the actuator and the movable element comprising means for shifting the actuator at an angle to its reciprocating movement into effective position, during the preliminary closing of the press and means for holding the actuator from reciprocating movement until it has been shifted laterally by said connections.

'5. A pressing machine comprisin crating pressing elements, one of W ich is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable manually from open toward closed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element after the same is preliminarily closed including a reciprocating.

actuator mounted to shift in a direction at an angle to its reciprocating movement, connections between the actuator and the movable element comprising means for shifting the actuator at an angle to its reciprocating movement during the preliminary closing of the press and a guide for the reciprocating element comprising portions arranged-at an angle to each other, one portion extending parallel to the reciprocating movement of the actuator and another portion at an angle to the former portion and said connections having a follower movable along the guide.

6. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable by the operator from open toward closed position, power means for applying-pressure coopreciprocating movement.

- 8. A pressing machine comprising cooperto the movable element when in closed positionincluding a cylinder, a piston movable -in the cylinder, the cylinder being mounted to swing about an axis at an angle to the movement of the piston, connections between the piston rodand the movable element comprising a pull link connected to the piston rod, the pull link being arranged to swing the piston rod and the cylinder about the axis of the cylinder during the preliminary closing of the movable element, and means for guiding the piston rod during its reciprocating movement.

7. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable by the operator ffrom lopen toward closed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element when in closed position including a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, the cylinder being mounted to swing about an axis at an angle to the movement of the piston, connections between the piston rod and the movable element comprising a pull link connected to the.

piston rod, the pull link being arranged to swing the piston and the cylinder about the axis of the cylinder during the preliminary closing of the press means normally preventing movement of the piston during the swinging movement of the cylinder, and means for guiding the piston rod during its ating pressing elements, one of which movable toward and from the other, the movable element being preliminarily movable by the operator from open toward closed position, power means for applying pressure to the movable element when in closed position including a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, the cylinder being mounted to swing about an axis at an angle to the movement of the piston, connections between the pistonrod and the movable element comprising a pull link connected to the piston rod, the pull link being arranged to swing the piston and the cylinder about the axis of the cylinder during the preliminary closing of the'press, and a cam having a portion extending in the direction of the swinging movement of the cylinder and another portion extending in the direction of the movement of the piston, the pull link "having a follower engagmg said cam.

Intestim'ony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and in the State of New York, thi s 26th day of April, 1926. ERNEST DAVIS. 

